The CSS ''General Polk'' (known casually as the ''Polk'') was a vessel of the

Confederate navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. Originally a side-wheel river steamer built in 1852 named either ''Ed Howard'' or merely ''Howard'', she was purchased for $8,000 by the Confederacy in 1861 and outfitted for service as a timberclad river gunboat. Under the command of Flag Officer George N. Hollins, she fought at the Battle of Lucas Bend as well as the at the Battle of Kentucky Bend shortly after. She also served in defence of

Columbus, Kentucky Columbus is a home rule-class city in Hickman County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 170 at the 2010 census, a decline from 229 in 2000. The city lies at the western end of the state, less than a mile from the Mississippi Ri ...

and the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

. Being given to Lieutenant Jonathan H. Carter thereafter, she served at

New Madrid, Missouri New Madrid ( es, Nueva Madrid) is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,787 at the 2020 census. New Madrid is the county seat of New Madrid County. The city is located 42 miles (68 km) southwest of Cairo ...

before returning to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

. Following Union victory she was burned near

Yazoo City Yazoo City is a U.S. city in Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's ...

on June 26, 1862.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:General Polk, CSS 1852 ships Gunboats of the Confederate States Navy Shipwrecks of the American Civil War Shipwrecks in rivers Maritime incidents in June 1862